In close cooperation between the WCO Secretariat and the Regional Office for Capacity Building for the World Customs Organization Europe Region (ROCB Europe), the WCO Regional Workshop on Data Analytics was held virtually from 21 to 22 June 2021 for the WCO Europe Region with the support of the Customs Cooperation Fund of Korea (CCF-K).

The main purpose of the two-day Workshop in which nearly 50 Customs officials from 19 Member Administrations attended, was to provide valuable opportunity for Customs managers to discuss strategies aimed at promoting Customs data analytics as well as exploring the Capacity Building Framework for Data Analytics and sharing good practices from the Members.

WCO BACUDA Project Team made presentations on how to use Data Analytics Framework to develop the analytics function under the concept of WCO Comprehensive Framework for Data Analytics and future plan for BACUDA Project covering introduction to development of applied data analytics algorithms for Harmonized System classification and price validation as well. Delegates from Azerbaijan, Spain and Bulgaria Customs shared good practices of applied data analytics techniques during the Workshop.

The participants were also provided with detailed information with regard to data science as a powerful tool for governments to identify problems, develop policies, and measure their effects and importance of utilized data collection for Customs to produce trade statistics in an effort to enhance risk management processes and improve compliance.

WCO Europe Region managers highly appreciated the activity and shared ideas on the next steps to further cooperate with the BACUDA Project to enhance capacity in Data Analytics nationally and regionally.